Control unit for burning liquid fuel



arch l, i938., R` sADWiTH 2,109,830

CONTROL UNIT FOR BURNING LIQUID-FUEL Filed oct. 4, 1955 INVNIO R @fw/5M ENC/W4 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates toa control unit for the burning of liquid fuel.

Because of the fire hazard, easier lling of the main supply tanks, greater storage possibilities and for other reasons it is desirable whenever liquid fuel is used to store the same outside of the building. As the consumption of fuel varies some means of regulating and controlling the flow of the liquid fuel is essential. To prevent flooding in case of theY extinguishment of a burner, the control should automatically shut 01T the supply and the control should be of such a nature as to require manual resetting after automatic shut off. The latter is valuable protection against fire as it calls the operators attention to the fact that repairs are required or that the furnace needs looking after.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a liquid fuel control unit for the burning of liquid fuel that will automatically maintain a proper amount of flow of fuel regardless of the variation of the required supply by the burners.

A further object of the invention is to prevent the flow of liquid fuel in the event of the burner or burners ceasing to function to prevent flooding of the furnace.

A still further object of the invention isto reduce re hazards by maintaining only a relatively small auxiliary supply of liquid fuel in an enclosed container adjacent the furnace and providing means for automatically shutting off of the supply of liquid fuel in case of break down of the control, flooding of the burners or other accident with the necessity of manual reopening of the supply line to again recommence operations.

vReferring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in elevation of a device embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan View of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view of Figure 1 along the line 3, 3, looking'in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view o-f Figure 1 along the line ll, II, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In carrying out my invention, I pro-pose to provide a container or casing l. Within container I are tubular screens 2, 3, having burner inlets 4 and 5 inserted in said screens. A cover 6 is provided for casing I. The fuel supply line 'I terminates within casing I and has a valve 8 that is controlled by float 9. The fuel level is predetermined so that when the float 9 rises above the predetermined level it shuts off the fuel supply. The additional space in casing I takes care of the flow back of the fuel from the burners in case of extinguishment of the burners when the gravity method of feed is not used. The normal operation requires only the use of the auxiliary fuel supply in casing I, valve 8 and iioat 9 to maintain a proper supply of liquid fuel. In the event of accident or for any other cause, should the flow be maintained so that the supply rises beyond its predetermined level, then the safety device operates. The latter consists of an auxiliary chamber I0 with an additional `float II therein. An overflow opening I2 from casing I into chamber Ill is provided. The flowing of liquid fuel through opening I2 into chamber Ill, causes float I I to rise causing it to rock lever I3 thereby moving trip link I4 from under weighted valve shut off arm I5. Weight I6 rocks arm I5 abo-ut pivot I 6' moving valve stem I'l to close Valve I8. Between valve I8 and chamber I0 and supported by the walls of chamber I0, is a bracket having set screw 20. Screw 2l! is adjustable so that when the counterweighted arm I5 is released, screw 20 operates as a stop to prevent the arm from dropping to jar the valve on its seat. Of course, the adjustment is such as to permit the valve to seat properly with elimination of any jar. The shutting of Valve I8 cornpletely shuts off the supply. It should be noted that the mechanism of valve I8 is not in any way interconnected or a part of the mechanism of valve 8. Being both independent anything happening to one will not affect the other except that when Valve I8 is closed no supply of fuel will reach valve 8. In order to recommence operations, arm I5 must be manually raised and link I4 set to support arm I5. Of course, charnber I0 is rst drained through drain valve I9. There is the positive requirement of attention by an attendant before the apparatus can function.

It is, therefore, seen that I provide a control device whereby a continuous flow of liquid fuel can be had for asperating nozzles or other type of burners and that the fuel may be maintained within limits at an approximately predetermined level regardless of the fuel consumption and one whereby the fuel is controlled by one mechanism and in the case of failure of the control an independent safety mechanismshuts off the supply of fuel. The control unit may be located against the furnace to secure preheating if desired. The continuous flow thereinto of cool fuel oil will prevent the liquid fuel from reaching the flash point. The small amount of liquid in the control unit is an added safety feature.

The simplicity of construction of my device permits of cheap cost of manufacture and cheap maintenance costs.

Various modications may be made and still fall Within the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A fuel oil control unit comprising an elongated tank, a partition dividing said tank into-y compartments, the partition being of lesser height than the side Walls of the tank to serve as an over-flow spillway between said compartments, a fuel supply conduit projecting into said tank for discharge into one of said compartments, means Within said one compartment and mounted on the discharge end of the conduit to control the How of fuel therefrom, a cut-off valve in said supply conduit exteriorly of said tank, a trip means to control the closing of said valve, and auxiliary means Within the other of said compartments to control the operation of said trip means.

2. A fuel oil control unit comprising an elongated tank, a transverse partition dividing said tank into compartments having different capacities, the partition being of lesser height than the side Walls of the tank to serve as an overflow spillway from the compartment of greatest capacity, a fuel supply conduit projecting into the latter compartment, means Within said latter compartment and pvotally mounted on the supply conduit to control the flow of fuel therefrom, a cut-01T valve in said supply conduit exteriorly of said tank, a trip means to control the closing of said cut-off valve, auxiliary means Within the other of said compartments, and a pivot mounting for said auxiliary means extending outwardly through a side Wall of the tank to actuate said trip means.

RYAN SADWITH. 

